Widsith

Widsið maðolade,wordhoard onleac,
se þe monna mæstmægþa ofer eorþan,
folca geondferde;oft he on flette geþah
mynelicne maþþum.Him from Myrgingum
æþele onwocon.He mid Ealhhilde, 5
fælre freoþuwebban,forman siþe
Hreðcyningesham gesohte
eastan of Ongle,Eormanrices,
wraþes wærlogan.Ongon þa worn sprecan:
"Fela ic monna gefrægnmægþum wealdan! 10
Sceal þeodna gehwylcþeawum lifgan,
eorl æfter oþrumeðle rædan,
se þe his þeodenstolgeþeon wile.
þara wæs Hwalahwile selast,
ond Alexandreasealra ricost 15
monna cynnes,ond he mæst geþah
þara þe ic ofer foldangefrægen hæbbe.
ætla weold Hunum,Eormanric Gotum,
Becca Baningum,Burgendum Gifica.
Casere weold Creacumond Cælic Finnum, 20
Hagena Holmrygumond Heoden Glommum.
Witta weold Swæfum,Wada Hælsingum,
Meaca Myrgingum,Mearchealf Hundingum.
þeodric weold Froncum,þyle Rondingum,
Breoca Brondingum,Billing Wernum. 25
Oswine weold Eowumond Ytum Gefwulf,
Fin FolcwaldingFresna cynne.
Sigehere lengestSædenum weold,
Hnæf Hocingum,Helm Wulfingum,
Wald Woingum,Wod þyringum, 30
Sæferð Sycgum,Sweom Ongendþeow,
Sceafthere Ymbrum,Sceafa Longbeardum,
Hun Hætwerumond Holen Wrosnum.
Hringweald wæs hatenHerefarena cyning.
Offa weold Ongle,Alewih Denum; 35
se wæs þara mannamodgast ealra,
no hwæþre he ofer Offaneorlscype fremede,
ac Offa geslogærest monna,
cnihtwesende,cynerica mæst.
Nænig efeneald himeorlscipe maran 40
on orette.Ane sweorde
merce gemærdewið Myrgingum
bi Fifeldore;heoldon forð siþþan
Engle ond Swæfe,swa hit Offa geslog.
Hroþwulf ond Hroðgarheoldon lengest 45
sibbe ætsomnesuhtorfædran,
siþþan by forwræconwicinga cynn
ond Ingeldesord forbigdan,
forheowan æt HeoroteHeaðobeardna þrym.
Swa ic geondferde felafremdra londa 50
geond ginne grund.Godes ond yfles
þær ic cunnadecnosle bidæled,
freomægum feorfolgade wide.
Forþon ic mæg singanond secgan spell,
mænan fore mengoin meoduhealle 55
hu me cynegodecystum dohten.
Ic wæs mid Hunumond mid Hreðgotum,
mid Sweom ond mid Geatumond mid Suþdenum.
Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnumond mid wicingum.
Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedumond mid Gefflegum. 60
Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfumond mid ænenum.
Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgumond mid Sweordwerum.
Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanumond mid Heaþoreamum.
Mid þyringum ic wæsond mid þrowendum,
ond mid Burgendum,þær ic beag geþah; 65
me þær Guðhere forgeafglædlicne maþþum
songes to leane.Næs þæt sæne cyning!
Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysumond mid Frumtingum.
Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommumond mid Rumwalum.
Swylce ic wæs on Eatulemid ælfwine, 70
se hæfde moncynnes,mine gefræge,
leohteste hondlofes to wyrcenne,
heortan unhneawestehringa gedales,
beorhtra beaga,bearn Eadwines.
Mid Sercingum ic wæsond mid Seringum; 75
mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnumond mid Casere,
se þe winburgageweald ahte,
wiolena ond wilna,ond Wala rices.
Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtumond mid Scridefinnum;
mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonumond mid Longbeardum, 80
mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþumond mid Hundingum.
Mid Israhelum ic wæsond mid Exsyringum,
mid Ebreum ond mid Indeumond mid Egyptum.
Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persumond mid Myrgingum,
ond Mofdingumond ongend Myrgingum, 85
ond mid Amothingum.Mid East þyringum ic wæs
ond mid Eolum ond mid Istumond Idumingum.
Ond ic wæs mid Eormanriceealle þrage,
þær me Gotena cyninggode dohte;
se me beag forgeaf,burgwarena fruma, 90
on þam siex hund wæssmætes goldes,
gescyred sceattascillingrime;
þone ic Eadgilseon æht sealde,
minum hleodryhtne,þa ic to ham bicwom,
leofum to leane,þæs þe he me lond forgeaf, 95
mines fæder eþel,frea Myrginga.
Ond me þa Ealhhildoþerne forgeaf,
dryhtcwen duguþe,dohtor Eadwines.
Hyre lof lengdegeond londa fela,
þonne ic be songesecgan sceolde 100
hwær ic under swegleselast wisse
goldhrodene cwengiefe bryttian.
ðonne wit Scillingsciran reorde
for uncrum sigedryhtnesong ahofan,
hlude bi hearpanhleoþor swinsade, 105
þonne monige men,modum wlonce,
wordum sprecan,þa þe wel cuþan,
þæt hi næfre songsellan ne hyrdon.
ðonan ic ealne geondhwearfeþel Gotena,
sohte ic a gesiþaþa selestan; 110
þæt wæs innweorudEarmanrices.
Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecanond Herelingas,
Emercan sohte ic ond Fridlanond Eastgotan,
frodne ond godnefæder Unwenes.
Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan,Seafolan ond þeodric, 115
Heaþoric ond Sifecan,Hliþe ond Incgenþeow.
Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan,ægelmund ond Hungar,
ond þa wloncan gedryhtWiþmyrginga.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere;ful oft þær wig ne alæg,
þonne Hræda hereheardum sweordum 120
ymb Wistlawuduwergan sceoldon
ealdne eþelstolætlan leodum.
Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere,Rumstan ond Gislhere,
Wiþergield ond Freoþeric,Wudgan ond Haman;
ne wæran þæt gesiþaþa sæmestan, 125
þeah þe ic by anihstnemnan sceolde.
Ful oft of þam heapehwinende fleag
giellende garon grome þeode;
wræccan þær weoldanwundnan golde
werum ond wifum,Wudga ond Hama 130.
Swa ic þæt symle onfondon þære feringe,
þæt se biþ leofastlondbuendum
se þe him god syleðgumena rice
to gehealdenne,þenden he her leofað."
Swa scriþendegesceapum hweorfað 135
gleomen gumenageond grunda fela,
þearfe secgað,þoncword sprecaþ,
simle suð oþþe norðsumne gemetað
gydda gleawne,geofum unhneawne,
se þe fore duguþe wiledom aræran, 140
eorlscipe æfnan,oþþæt eal scæceð,
leoht ond lif somod;lof se gewyrceð,
hafað under heofonumheahfæstne dom.